Friday, May 6, 2016

Subaru Legacy Gets Sporty, Outback Goes Touring for 2017

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Following 53 months of consecutive sales growth, Subaru announced that it will expand both the Legacy and the Outback model lines with an additional trim level each for 2017.

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A far cry from the turbocharged Subaru Legacy 2.5GT, the new 2017 Subaru Legacy Sport is sporty in appearance only. Subaru’s tried-and-true 2.5-liter flat-four powers the Sport, channeling its 175 horsepower through the car’s standard all-wheel-drive system via a continuously variable automatic transmission with paddle shifters—the same as in the standard Legacy.

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The new trim adds exterior styling features including 18-inch wheels, silver mirror caps, unique rocker panel trim, a dark gray front grille, and gloss black housings around the car’s standard fog lights. Inside, Subaru fits the Legacy Sport with faux carbon fiber and piano-black trim panels, gray and black two-tone cloth seats, and blue stitching throughout. A 7.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is standard, and Subaru’s EyeSight is optional. EyeSight now includes automatic high-beams and reverse automatic braking, which can bring the car to a halt when reversing if sensors detect a collision is imminent.

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Unlike the Legacy Sport, the new 2017 Subaru Outback Touring comes standard with EyeSight. The top-of-the-line crossover is available with either Subaru’s 2.5-liter flat-four or its 3.6-liter flat-six. Along with a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen multimedia interface with navigation, the Outback Touring features a standard heated steering wheel, plus wood-grain and piano black trim. A deep Java Brown leather interior with contrast stitching completes the Touring’s interior. Exterior differences include minor changes to the grille, wheels, and cladding, among other things.